They All Lived Story 54: Tragic Comedy
by LadyWordsmith
Summary: May-July '71. Life is hectic for the Elrics as Edward watches two grandsons deal with teen angst over a girl and a play, and two others start off on the great adventure that is marriage. Best intentions and planning aside; life is not always smooth.
1. Chapter 1

**May 26****th****, 1971**

There was nothing more familiar than the backside of a teenage male sticking out of the refrigerator. Though it was rarer in his kitchen these days than some, Ed thought, as he leaned against the door and glanced over it at his grandson. "Looking for something?"

Urey looked up at him, one hand on a chunk of white cheese, another on a fat summer sausage. "After school snack. Not a crime is it?"

"No, no," Ed shook his head, and glanced back at the counter, already spread with bread, mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes (all the things for a good sized sandwich), as well as the open cookie jar, yesterday's strawberry pie, and an open bag of potato chips. "Just wondering what army you're planning to feed."

Urey snorted as he stood up and took the meat, cheese, and a knife over to the cutting board. "Leave off, okay?" He expertly sliced several rounds of the sausage and thick slices of cheese, and began to assemble his sandwich. 'It's not like you're not gonna chase it all off me in an hour anyway."

_Well hello touchy teen years._ Ed straightened up as the refrigerator door closed. Obviously something was up today with the fifteen-year-old that had nothing to do with Ed, or alchemy. "Something happen at school today?"

"No," Urey retorted, far snappier than usual as he slapped the top slice of bread on his sandwich, and scooped up the plate, the remaining pie, a couple of cookies, and the bag of chips, and dropped himself down at the dining table.

Ed stole one of the cookies off Urey's plate as he sat down on the other side of the table. "So what happened _after_ school?"

Urey, mouth full, glared at him, and said nothing until the stacked sandwich, the pie, and the remaining cookie, were nothing but crumbs. He looked up at Ed, who was still watching him intently and not about to let the question go unanswered. Urey must have read the look in his eye clear enough, because he sighed. "I asked Jessica Norris to the end of the year dance."

"I take it she turned you down." That explained things. Jessica was a pretty little dark haired fourteen-year-old who seemed to have half the boys in Resembool after her.

"Worse," Urey sighed. "She's going out with Ian! He's not even fourteen till July!"

Ed winced. "Ouch. You didn't know?"

"Ian asked her out this morning." Urey reached for the potato chips. "It's not even his fault, I mean, he got there first…"

"You like her right?" Ed asked.

"Well yeah, but…."

"So fight for her."

"Against Ian?" Urey looked skeptical. "What chance do I have? Even if he is younger than me. Ian's popular, and talented, and he's got tons of friends. He's one of the most popular kids in the area. Of course Jessica would want Ian over me."

"And that defeatist attitude isn't going to get you anywhere." Ed leaned forward over the table, arms on the wooden surface. "If you want something, go for it. If you think there's any chance she'd have agreed to go out with you if Ian hadn't asked first, then try. If not," he shrugged and sat back. Maybe he was coming on too strong. "Well, either way it's up to you. I'm probably not the best person to be offering teenage relationship advice anyway." Though he did want to know if Ian had _known_ about his brother's interest in the girl in question. "All right, let's go." He stood up, gesturing towards outdoors. They always sparred in the afternoons before settling down to the alchemical academics.

"What, now?" Urey looked up at him, startled.

"Why not?" Ed commented, perhaps a bit unsympathetically. "You've got to be ready for anything. In a real fight, a guy's not going to wait while you say "could you give me an hour to digest?"" Besides, it would help Urey get his frustrations out more productively.

Looking like he already regretted his self-indulgent pity snack, Urey followed without any further protest. "Do me one favor? Don't hit me in the stomach."

"I'll consider it."

**May 27****th****, 1971 **

"So the deal's done then?" Coran grinned, not entirely sure he believed his ears.

His grandmother smiled and held up the paperwork. "That's what these contracts say. We've bought the store next door and the Central workshop is expanding."

"That's great," said Gale, sitting next to Coran on his grandparents' living room couch. "How long with the renovations take?"

"Just a few weeks," Winry replied as she set the papers down on the table. "We're not removing any major walls, just putting up a couple of smaller ones and then adding new workbenches and storage areas." She unrolled the plans that had been drawn up of the remodel.

"Fabulous," Coran looked over them eagerly. "But, what's this?" he pulled out the second page. "This isn't the workshop." It didn't look right.

Gale glanced over at it. "That's the upstairs apartment isn't it?"

It was. Coran looked at it in more detail. The building next door had used their upstairs for storage, but this plan extended the apartment, turning it from a one-bedroom with a bath, into a three-bedroom with two full baths, and a much larger living area, while retaining the existing kitchen. "You could actually have a whole family in that thing," he exclaimed.

Then he caught a look of amusement in Winry's eye, and a matching one in Gale's…

"This, is for us?" he looked at his grandmother.

"You'll need somewhere to live," she pointed out. "And while that apartment has always been fine for new couples, they've all had to move out when they needed more space. Now that Tore and Dare have moved out, there's no reason not to upgrade the apartment while it's empty."

"It's amazing," Gale said, beating Coran to it, who was still a little stunned. "Thank you so much, Winry."

Winry picked up her iced tea and sipped it. "We're pleased to do it. It puts you right there by the shop too. It's a very nice location, safe area, perfect commute. Now the apartment will actually accommodate more than two people at a time."

Coran wasn't sure he wanted to think about populating those other rooms just yet, but his fiancée was grinning. "It's perfect. When will the renovations be done?"

"In time for you to take up residence when you get there."

So right after the wedding in July. "Wow, you're contractors are fast."

Winry chuckled. "They are also experienced and well paid. Of course, since three of the men doing the work are also customers, they're very enthusiastic about doing a good job."

"That would do it," Coran agreed. This was far more than he'd expected, though he wasn't complaining about a summer when he got the best job, apartment, and –most importantly- wife ever!

* * *

><p>Edward managed to catch up with Ian as his nephew was coming out of rehearsal at the little playhouse everyone in Resembool and the surrounding villages used for school and local productions. It was about the only place to catch Ian these days, given the current plays main character was an impetuous young boy just about Ian's age. So, naturally, Ian Elric had been cast in the role. He was really starting to become a sort of local minor celebrity.<p>

That wasn't why Ed happened to be in town, and happened to be walking by when Ian came out, chatting with several of the other kids involved in the show including –Ed noticed- miss Jessica Norris.

The group stopped outside, and split off in patches of two and three young teens. Ed stayed carefully out of sight, not wanting to interrupt anything just yet. Ian and Jessica exchanged a quick, though passionate, kiss, and she waved and went off with a couple of the other girls. Ian, grinning, headed towards the edge of town on his own, heading towards the house.

Ed casually inserted himself back into the light flow of early evening foot traffic and sidled on up. "Hey, how was rehearsal?"

Ian looked up and smiled. "Oh, hey Grandpa. It went great! We're off book now and everyone's really getting into their characters."

"There a romance in this play?" Ed asked.

Ian laughed. "Have you been following me around?" He glanced over at Ed. "No, I don't get the girl in this play. Jessica's helping with costumes."

"So you get the girl anyway. There are worse things."

Ian nodded. "Oh yeah. I'm glad I asked her out. We've got so much in common."

"Like what?" Ed didn't have to fake curiosity. He was very interested in getting a full feeling of the dynamic, and whether or not Urey ever really had a shot with the girl he liked.

It didn't take any more prodding to send Ian off on a long list of the qualities and interests of Jessica. They both liked theatre, and movies, and the same music, and she was even pretty good at sports; running and volleyball anyway. She definitely sounded a lot like Ian… and not much at all like Urey.

Ed had to fight not to meddle and ask if Ian had talked to Urey since yesterday, or if he knew his brother's feelings. Urey's mood hadn't been much better today either, so after another thorough trouncing, Ed had set him a complex transmutation that would keep his mind busy.

Ian finally stopped babbling, and gave him another sideways glance. "You're not going to tell me I should have let Urey have her are you?"

Ed blinked. The kid was perceptive. "You knew your brother was interested?"

Ian shrugged. "Every guy around our age likes Jessica, and she won't go out with just anyone."

"Is that so?"

"She turned down three guys who asked her to the dance yesterday morning even before I got there," Ian admitted. "And if Urey had stuck around, he'd have found out she had to turn down four more after he left. It's not personal, but I think she'd have turned him down even if I hadn't asked. He's just not her type."

"Are there any girls in town that are?"

Ian winced. "Not really. I mean, maybe if he'd look at some of the other girls. The ones that aren't as pretty, or outgoing. I don't want to be mean but Urey's just not going to get the interest of girls like Jessica. He's a nerd. They just aren't into guys with brains."

Given Ed had certainly seen worse looking guys hook up with girls, he couldn't really deny that statement. "So there are no cute female nerds of any sort in Resembool."

Ian snorted. "Of course not. Why would there be?"

Ed refrained from socking his grandson in the shoulder. "Because where there's at least one family with them, there's no reason there can't be others."

To his credit, Ian figured it out and had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. "Oh. Right."

**June 5****th****, 1971**

The dual graduation party for Reichart and Deanna turned out containing half the town of Resembool and spilling out across the yard nearly down to the road when it was done. Given the small size of graduating classes being little more than a couple dozen students – and that up from when Ed was a kid- they all ended up at the party anyway, as well as all their friends.

"So much for a small family gathering," Ed laughed as he helped Aldon refill the big drink containers with iced tea and lemonade.

"On a celebratory evening in Resembool?" Aldon snickered as he set the other jug back in place and stepped back, leaning against the side of the house. "Though I think half the men here are just hoping to talk me into running for public office."

Ed knew they'd been on Aldon for a while to do something other than be on the local building and improvements committee, where he felt his engineering knowledge was actually useful. There were more than a few of the older folk one wouldn't expect to see at a party full of teenagers. At least, anywhere in a bigger town. Resembool wasn't like that. "Yeah, they tried that on me too."

"And you turned them down," Aldon nodded, then grinned. "Can't imagine why you wouldn't want to be Mayor of Resembool."

Ed snorted. "They only think they want me running this city and mucking about in its problems. The people who want me in that role think that a retired State Alchemist and legend must make for a good politician. I'm not that kind of leader. I'd make a lousy bureaucrat." Then he glanced over at his son. "Now, you on the other hand…"

"Have been considering it," Aldon admitted. "Oh, not Mayor. Or not yet," he chuckled. "But people do listen to what Cassie and I have to say on matters. I could do a lot of good. And it's not like Resembool is a hotbed of political activity."

"You just wait until you try and tell that to the ladies arguing over the theme for the baking contest at the next Sheep Festival," Cassie commented glibly as she stepped out on the porch with a plate full of miniature sandwiches.

"Point taken," Aldon grinned, snatching a couple of the sandwiches and handing them over to Ed before taking a couple for himself. "Maybe they just want us more involved because we throw good parties," he commented, taking a bite.

"That's one way to win votes," Cassie chuckled. "One stomach one vote?"

Ed almost choked on his first bite he laughed so hard. "Not a bad slogan."

"Not for our family anyway," Aldon admitted with a shake of his head. "Like I said, I'm thinking about it. This is always going to be home. We're already pretty involved."

"Better you than me," Ed smiled, clapping his son on the shoulder. "Well, let me know what you decide to do. When it comes to it, you've already got my vote."

* * *

><p>Urey stood by the food tables, putting the fishing touches on a hamburger loaded with his favorite toppings. The party around him was a crowd of happy chaos, mostly teenagers listening to the music playing out of the stereo of someone's car, cranked to full volume. Tables of food were up at the top of the hill where the land was flat, and all around them people danced and sat and talked and laughed.<p>

Urey was tempted to take his food inside. It was summer, school was out, and every couple between the ages of thirteen and …well, older, seemed to be enjoying themselves. He couldn't turn five degrees without finding another pair making eyes at each other, dancing, or outright kissing. It was worse when it was his brothers. Coran and Gale were relaxing, enjoying having finished their internships in Rush Valley and ready to move to Central. Reichart and Deanna were inseparable, and seemed to spend half their time staring adoringly into each other's eyes. He'd seen Ian and Jessica dancing earlier.

The only siblings who weren't totally absorbed in the opposite sex were little Ed, who was nine, and Callie, who was only six-and-a-half.

Urey added corn chips to his plate and thick Aerugean salsa, then grabbed a couple of cans of cola out of one of the coolers and found a corner to eat in. Much as he might like to go inside, his mother would shoo him back out. The kitchen was crowded today.

So he leaned back and took a large, juicy bite, filled with the flavors of meat, cheese, tomatoes, pickles, onions, mushrooms, and lettuce, slathered in ketchup, mustard, and mayo.

"There you are!"

Mid second-bite, Urey nearly choked on the burger as Ian came around the corner looking irritated.

Ian rolled his eyes. "I've been looking all over for you. This is no time to be stuffing your face. Come on."

Urey swallowed and glared at his brother. "What are you talking about?"

"Just trust me." Ian grabbed his shoulder and tugged. He wasn't heavy enough to budge Urey unless he wanted to move though.

"What is so important?" Urey jerked his shoulder free, barely managing to keep hold of his plate.

Ian sighed. "There's someone I want you to meet, doofus."

"Well can't they wait a few minutes?"

"It's a girl."

Urey stopped, burger halfway to his mouth again. _Ian_ was setting him up? "What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing! Oh, you're impossible," Ian snorted in disgust. "I go through the trouble to tell a cute girl about my brother and you won't even show. Fine." He threw up his hands.

"She's cute?"

Ian half-turned to go, glanced over his shoulder. "Would I waste your time, Rey?"

It occurred to Urey half a dozen steps later that his brother the actor had completely fooled him, luring him right along. He hoped the girl really was pretty. Not that he expected her to be as pretty as Jessica, or Ian would have kept her for himself, wouldn't he?

"So who is it?" Urey asked. If it was an introduction it couldn't be one of the girls from Resembool. He knew them all.

"Her." Ian stopped, gesturing towards a girl standing and talking with Jessica and a couple of other girls. She was pretty in a quiet sort of way, in a cute but conservative skirt and top. Her hair was long, mousy-brown and pulled up in back. "That's Melissa. Jessica knows her from the regional girls' track meets mostly, but her uncle lives in town."

"And what makes you think this is a good idea?" Urey asked his brother.

"Melissa's hobbies, other than running, include cooking, reading, and math club," Ian gave him a small shove from behind. "She's cute and she's got a brain. Surely you can come up with something to talk about."

Urey swallowed his nerves, wished he'd finished his food which would have settled his stomach, and moved forward. He just hoped this didn't turn out to be a complete disaster.

* * *

><p>"I can't…dance anymore, I'm sorry," Reichart panted as he half-stumbled out of the area cleared for dancing, his hand still around Deanna's wrist.<p>

Laughing, Deanna followed willingly. "Already?" she teased. "How will you ever keep up at the wedding?"

Reichart grinned thanks at Brad, one of their fellow graduates, as he was handed a can of cola. He popped it open and drained it. He suspected there would be an after-party elsewhere, with harder beverages, but those weren't being provided here. "I've got time to practice."

"Build up your stamina you mean," Deanna smiled, leaning in close to kiss him briefly. "You'll need it," she whispered in his ear.

Reichart managed not to blush, he thought, as he smiled back at her. "We'll just see who needs it more," he replied in a similar whisper, though the teasing made it that much harder to wait. It was more than a month till the wedding, and so close it was hard to remember exactly why they had agreed they would wait until the wedding to consummate the relationship. It was lovely anticipation, and yet torture at the same time. Especially the way Deanna had teased him lately.

Deanna's cheeks did turn slightly pink, even as she smiled back a little more boldly. "I like a challenge."

* * *

><p>"That's funny," Melissa chuckled as Urey finished his story.<p>

"Thanks," Urey replied. He had been surprised to find that Ian had been right. Melissa and he did have quite a bit in common, and he was enjoying the conversation. She wasn't the flirty type but that was fine with him. He wasn't really good at that anyway. Still she was nice, and she was going to be around for a couple of weeks. Did he dare ask? Sure, why not. He didn't have anything to lose. "So, there's a new movie showing in town this weekend. Would you like to go?"

Melissa's smile faded, and with it Urey's hopes. "Oh that's sweet, Urey but… well… I kind of have someone back home, and it just wouldn't be right. You understand, don't you?"

She… had someone? Hadn't Ian thought to check? Urey nodded, though inside he felt embarrassed and set up. "Sure, I understand. Sorry."

"No it's not your fault, I should have said something," Melissa replied apologetically. "It's a new thing, really, and I just feel like it would be weird, you know?"

Urey shrugged, trying not to look hurt. "Yeah, I can see that."

"Excuse me," Melissa said, saving them both from more awkwardness. "I need a refill." She moved off towards the lemonade table, and Urey took the excuse he needed to make his way back to the house. Embarrassment quickly turned to fury. Had Ian known? Had Jessica? So much for being nice.

His fists were balled up by the time he reached the house, though he tried to look nonchalant as he went inside, wove through the dozen folks chatting and preparing food, and vanished upstairs with no one the wiser. He got to the room he and Ian still shared, and shut the door, locking it from the inside.

As he collapsed on his bed, his growling stomach reminded him that he had abandoned his burger earlier. Urey pulled his pillow to him as he sprawled out on his stomach and tried to ignore it. No way he was going back out there again with everyone still partying on the front lawn.

No way he was going to let himself be embarrassed by his little brother again either.

* * *

><p>Ian's first clue something was wrong was the worried look on Jessica's face when she returned from the drinks table.<p>

"I think we messed up," Jessica said immediately. "I just talked to Melissa."

Not good. "What happened? She didn't like Urey?" He knew his brother wasn't the type to say something stupid, but they seemed like a good fit. What could have gone wrong?

Jessica looked embarrassed. "Melissa just told me he asked her out."

"Normally that's good. You told me she was single, Jess," he prompted, waiting for more details.

"She was!" Jessica exclaimed. "The last time we talked. But… apparently she just got together with this guy back home she's had a crush on for months. I had no idea, I swear!"

Shit. Ian looked around, keeping his cool though inside he felt concern rising. Urey was nowhere in sight. "Oh, man. Urey's gonna kill me." He felt a twinge of guilt. He'd been trying to make things better with Urey and instead they had backfired… horribly. "Jess, do you mind if-"

"Go find him," Jessica replied understandingly.

"Thanks." Ian smiled then turned and headed into the crowd. He soon confirmed that Urey wasn't by the drinks, or the food, or around the side by the grill. Could he have gone to Grandpa's? No one was there. Or maybe he'd gone inside. Ian didn't want to ask anyone if they'd seen Urey, it would only draw attention to his brother's absence and cause questions.

Before trekking all the way to his grandparents' house, Ian slipped around back and inside the house, then ducked upstairs to his room. He knew he'd hit gold when he tried to open the door and found it locked. "Rey?" he called through the door. "Hey, can we talk?"

Several long seconds of silence followed his request.

"Urey, come on! I'm sorry! I swear I had no idea she had a boyfriend!"

After several more seconds, the door flew open, and Urey glared at him. "Oh really?" he growled, startling Ian with the fury of his anger. "You didn't think to ask her first, did you?"

"Well no, I asked Jessica, but—"

"Who told you she was single?"

"Jessica didn't know either!"

"About her own friend?"

"Look, don't put this on her," Ian straightened up in the face of Urey's anger. "It wasn't her fault."

"Oh no, defend your precious girlfriend instead of your brother."

"I apologized!"

"You set me up!"

"I did not!"

Urey's fist moving was Ian's only warning before pain sent stars dancing across his vision, his face stinging.

Ian put one hand over his left eye. "Owww, damn it, Rey!"

Urey was panting heavily, but he looked as startled as Ian felt.

Ian felt his eye. Was it swelling? "Shit." He ran into the bathroom and stared in the mirror at the quickly forming black eye. It was going to be big, and dark."Shit!"

"What, worried about your precious face?" Urey asked, poking his head around the door.

"The play opens in two weeks, you idiot!" Ian turned back around, sympathy for his brother gone. "Oh man…they're gonna kill me if this thing doesn't fade by then." He tried to touch it, and winced. It hurt! He could barely open his eye.

Urey's expression turned contrite, if not apologetic. "Oh." Then he vanished, and Ian heard the door to their room close again.

Fabulous. Just flipping fabulous.


	2. Chapter 2

**June 10th, 1971**

"I think you were harder on him than Aldon was," Winry commented to Edward as they stood by the window, watching Urey outside in the yard, running through practice forms on his own. It was the fourth day of hard physical drilling Ed had assigned Urey since his disagreement with Ian five days before. Four days of intensive training out of a solid week assigned, that included not only the forms, but sparring, calisthenics, and hard runs.

"Well I don't blame him for being mad," Ed admitted. "He was really embarrassed, but punching Ian when he tried to apologize is out of line."

"So you believe Ian."

"Don't you?" Ed looked at Winry, wondering. "Yeah, I do think he didn't know, and I do think he was trying to help Urey out. It just backfired. Either way, getting his eye blackened will teach him to be more thorough in the future. That's all the lesson he really needed to learn." He had the feeling Ian had already learned the one about being careful of his brothers' feelings.

Winry sighed. "So a week of workouts for one punch."

"Izumi would have assigned a month," Ed chuckled. "He's got a lot to think about, and a lot of frustration to work off. He's actually stronger than Ian. If that had come to a full fight, he probably would have won pretty easily. He's got training and size advantage, but that's why he's got to control his temper when he does lose it."

"This coming from you?" Winry smiled, looking amused.

"I'm an expert on the subject," Ed countered, grinning back. "And I've had a lot more practice at dealing with my temper than Urey has, because it does take so much to get him angry."

Winry nodded. "All right, you have a point. It's still too bad it happened the way it did. He's such a nice boy. The girls don't appreciate him."

Ed put his arm around Winry's shoulder. "That happens a lot at that age. Fortunately for some of us, there are smart girls like you."

* * *

><p>By the time Urey trudged the distance back to his own house that afternoon, he was exhausted and his feet dragged in the dirt. His ego was as bruised as the rest of him, but he wasn't angry. He understood full well why Grandpa had set him this week of grueling exercise. He'd never let himself go and haul off at someone like that again, at least not unless he really meant it. It had also probably saved him from grounding by his father, who had been furious that Urey had swung at his brother in the first place.<p>

What did his father know about squabbles like that? Oh sure, he had two siblings, but Aunt Sara was older, and a fighter. His Dad never had been. And Uncle Ethan was several years younger than his Dad. They never seemed to argue at all, about anything.

He didn't feel like being sociable, but since his parents friends Ollie and Kit – who had finally bought a little house closer in to town – were coming over to dinner with their three kids, he knew he would be expected to be amiable and polite. There was no way he would be able to get dinner and retreat somewhere. So he'd have to put up with sitting at the same table with Ian, over whose ugly black eye he did feel some guilt, but he couldn't help but be irritated that his brother had embarrassed him so thoroughly.

Either way, they barely said anything to each other now, not even at bedtime when they were alone in their room. Urey was grateful that Reichart was moving out as soon as he got married. The house he and Deanna were moving into was newly constructed on the very next hill over from their house, not far at all as Resembool houses went. Still, it meant the room Reichart and Coran had shared would be empty, and one of them could claim it. Urey didn't care which room he ended up with, as long as he finally had more space to himself.

A sudden shove of wind caused Urey to look back over his shoulder. There was a storm moving in. Towering dark-gray clouds rolled towards him, and a few specks of rain hit his face on the wind.

It was definitely time to get home. Despite his exhaustion, Urey jogged the last quarter mile to the house, coming inside just before the rain began to fall in sheets behind him.

**June 12****th****, 1971**

The rain fell on and off for two days, and showed no signs of really stopping. The best that could be said for it was when it lightened to a mist that afternoon as the kids were walking home or to their after school activities and hangouts.  
>Urey found himself almost grateful for the rain. No one tried to linger and talk, and he found himself walking home alone. If he moved at a leisurely pace, little Ed and Callie ran ahead, giggling through the mist, trying to get home before the rain fell again. As the bright splotch of purple umbrella vanished over the hills, Urey had time to think.<p>

He wasn't heading home after all, but past it and on up to Grandpa Ed's place for alchemy and sparring practice, though his youngest brother would be joining them later in the afternoon for his own rudimentary lessons, since Edward had taken to alchemy as naturally as his namesake and started begging for lessons.

Which meant even his lessons were not entirely his own anymore. Not that Urey begrudged his little brother the chance to learn alchemy, but it meant it was no longer something he alone did in the family.

Coran was the engineer; Reichart a medical assistant and artist; Ian the actor and natural athlete, and Callie the only girl. Alchemy had been Urey's thing, but now as Edward discovered himself, just what was Urey's niche? Was he really special at all or was he just another nerd? The girls certainly seemed to think so. Even his brothers, much as they had stopped teasing him –well, except Ian- seemed to think of him as a walking brain.

His thoughts were as glum as the weather when Urey arrived, damp and mildly depressed, on the front porch of his grandparents' house and took off his wet, slightly muddy boots before stepping inside and placing them on the towel Granny always left for that purpose right by the door in bad weather.

"Grandpa?" Urey called out when he didn't see Ed waiting for him.

Granny Winry appeared from the kitchen instead with an apologetic look. "He's upstairs taking a nap, Urey. He might be a bit."

"A nap?" After the runaround he'd been given Urey lately?

"He's got a bit of a cold," Winry apologized. "He should be up before much longer. You can go ahead and start without him he said. But first, would you like a hot drink? This rain seems to be making everything chilly."

"It's a weird June," Urey agreed, and nodded. "Thank you, Granny. I'd love some tea." He silently thanked the rain for getting him out of another day of what might have been a killer workout, though he felt sorry for Grandpa. He hated sitting still.

He was halfway through a steaming cup of hot mint and lemon tea when the sound of something… _thundering_ outside in the distance made him jump. "What the heck was that?"

"I don't know," Winry replied as she joined him, looking out one of the windows towards the mountain ridge line. "But it sounded like it was coming from the direction of the old mines. Maybe one of the tunnels finally caved in?"

That would certainly explain the sound. The house was far enough away not to feel the shaking. Urey nodded. "That makes sense." He glanced back down at the paper in front of him, and froze, a piece of earlier conversation ringing in his head.  
><em><br>"We should try those projection and whispering exercises in the old mines," Jessica grinned at the group of young actors standing in the school yard. "Some of them have great acoustics."_

_ "That's a fabulous idea," Ian replied eagerly._

_"I'll bring snacks," Lauren Belle chimed in. "We can make a party out of it." _

Suddenly Urey felt cold inside, despite the tea. "Granny. Ian and some of the kids were talking about going up there today. You don't think they're in trouble do you?"

Winry's eyes went wide. "Well we'll find out soon enough," she said, heading straight for the phone. "We can have people out there to check quickly. Go wake Ed. He'll never forgive me if I let him sleep through this. Besides, if that cave in is unstable, they'll want him."

Urey headed upstairs as he heard her pick up the phone. The whole town would be on alert. His heart was already pounding with the adrenaline rush, and concern, and slight worry that he might be raising a ruckus for nothing.

* * *

><p>By the time Edward, with Urey and Winry in tow, arrived at the old mine site, the rain was dumping down again so hard that the dark clouds made the late afternoon look like dusk. Nearly two dozen of the men and women from the village were already there, with more arriving; several with lanterns and flashlights. Everyone wrapped in raincoats. Umbrellas were useless in the wind.<p>

The reason for the feeling of near-panic was obvious. A large landslide had come down in front of the mine openings, almost completely covering them, and what little could be seen of the tunnel underneath showed considerable collapse. People were shouting the names of the children that were missing, but apparently there were no responses.

"Edward, thank goodness," Parker Volkson, one of the oldest members of the town council, sighed with relief.

"Any sign of them?" Ed asked as he joined the group.

Jessica's father shook his head. "No. We think there are six kids in there though. That's as many as no one can find, and they're all in the play or friends."

Which meant that Ian and Jessica were almost certainly in there with the others. Damn it. Ed nodded. "We'll have to get inside to find them." Or what was left of them, but he didn't want to seriously consider that part. The entire system couldn't have caved in on them. Resembool kids had run around in the abandoned mine shafts for years without danger, as well shored up as they had been.

"How will we do that?" someone asked.

Obviously he hadn't been around long. Ed grinned. "Simple. We move the dirt." He turned his head. "Urey!" he barked. "Time to get to work!"

His grandson was at his side in an instant, looking concerned but not too afraid. Good. "What do you want me to do, Grandpa?"

It had taken him seconds to formulate a plan. "I'm going to remove all that debris," he told Urey. "Then I'm going to do my best to clear out and shore up the main tunnel, and hold it up, while you go in with a rescue party and find your brother and the others."

For a moment, Urey hesitated, then resolve crossed his face and he nodded. "Yes sir."

"All right then." Ed turned back to the large milling group, looking for volunteers with strong backs and clear heads. "Coran, Art, George, and Ramon, you follow Urey. Take shovels and a first aid kit."

His other two grandsons and the two other men nodded, even as the several people began to object.

"I need men with clear heads," Ed barked at them, scowling. "Not terrified parents. I understand your concerns, but either you trust my judgment or you don't. We're wasting time."

No one else argued.

With a brief nod, Ed turned to the several ton pile of muddy debris, clapped his hands together, and dropped them into the dirt. The entire mound began to glow blue as it shifted, groaned, and began to slide away to both sides. He couldn't put it back up on the hill or let it keep creeping forward. It felt like forever, but it only took a couple of minutes for all of it to be cleared away. Then he went to work clearing out the mine entrance and repairing the broken braces and ceiling beams. It was old wood, and there was only so much he could do with it, but it would hold, if he kept it there. The weight of the earth above it fought him, with gravity on its side. "Urey, now!"

The five man rescue team ran inside without further prompting. If anyone was alive, they might only have minutes. There was no way of knowing.

* * *

><p>Urey tried not to panic as he led –him! – the rescue team into the tunnel. Coran and Reichart were right behind him, Art holding the medic kit, and Coran a lantern so they could see in the pitch blackness. George and Ramon – men in their early thirties – followed.<p>

"So where do we look?" Ramon asked, his voice sounding loud in the quiet that quickly enveloped them despite the crowd and pouring rain at the entrance.

Urey remembered that Ramon hadn't grown up in Resembool, he didn't know the layout of the tunnels. But the rest of them did.

"You said they were practicing?" Reichart asked Urey.

"Yeah. They were doing projection and vocal exercises or something," Urey nodded, keeping an eye on the leaky ceiling above them. It looked heavier and more menacing than it had the last time he had played around in here. "I figure the best place for that is the back of the caves, where the side tunnels come together." He tried not to sound like he was unsure.

"Sounds good," Coran nodded. "Let's go."

That particular path took them fairly straight back with only the occasional winding turn, and past most of the partial side tunnels anyway. So as they walked, they could call out down the tunnels, hoping for a response. They shouted down the open tunnels too, in case someone was injured and the group had stayed together.

Nearly half of the side tunnels were in some stage of wreckage. They paused longer at those, but still didn't get any responses. They would come back if they didn't find anyone alive.

Urey began to sweat in the warm underground. He tried to tell himself it wasn't from fear.

"Hey wait, hush!" Reichart waved a hand motioning folks to be quiet.

In the silence, they heard what sounded like a muffled call again, and clinking.

"This way." Urey hurried up, coming around the final slow bend in the tunnel to the junction point, and nearly ran into a solid wall of collapsed rock. "Anyone there?" he shouted out as the others piled up behind him.

"In here!" the muffled voice called again. It sounded like one of the girls.

"Are you all right?" Coran bellowed back.

"Mostly," came the reply. "All the side tunnels caved in. We can't get out!"

"I think I got that," George commented, holding up his shovel. "So, we dig?"

"Wait," Coran waved him off. "We don't know how unstable this is or how thick. We're still three yards from the end of this tunnel if memory serves." He held up the lantern, and Urey saw the small strip of open air to the left and top of the pile through which the sound was coming. "Up there's our best bet. Hey, Urey, can you climb up there and get an idea of how deep in we have to go?"

Urey almost objected. He was almost as big as his older brothers, but he was also the only alchemist here. He could do, on a much smaller scale, some of what he had seen Grandpa Ed do. He nodded and climbed carefully up the steep embankment. It wasn't quite as much of a wall as it looked. When he reached the hole, he peered through it. It seemed to run quite a ways in the dark. "If you can, shine a light where you hear my voice," he shouted inside.

He heard scrambling, and several seconds later saw a flash. "I'd say it's at least ten feet just from where I am," he commented to the men standing below him. "And this is thinner than the base."

"Oh great," Ramon sighed, leaning against his shovel. "We'd be at this for days."

A different voice came through this time, one of the boys. "Can you get us out?"

"We're working on it," Urey shouted back. He turned his head to look down at his brothers and the others.

Coran was looking up at him. "Even if we dig along the top, we could cause more of a cave in. If the other tunnels are blocked, then this is our only point of entry." All of the ways they had passed to those other side tunnels that curved around to this point had been fully collapsed as well.

"I can do it," Urey found himself saying, then pushed on before anyone could object. "The hole's a bit small, but I could widen it and shore it up with alchemy." If he baked it with heat, it would be a very solid tunnel, almost rock itself. "I can make it big enough to bring the others out."

He couldn't really see everyone's expressions, but he was surprised –and gratified- when Reichart smiled at him. "Go for it."

Stomach flip-flopping, Urey turned to the tunnel, and gave more serious thought to his plan of attack. Then he pulled chalk out of his pocket and drew a transmutation circle on the solid rock wall to his left, on a dry spot where it wouldn't wash away. "Stay back from the wall," he shouted through the little tunnel, and then counted to five and pressed his hands against the wall.

The transmutation wasn't as fast or smooth as Grandpa's, but the tunnel quickly began to spread and widen, rounding out and packing tight, moving on down away from him towards the other side an inch at a time. The blue light filled the tunnel, but also reflected behind him.

On both sides, he thought he heard gasps, and he smiled.

Urey was sweating even more by the time the tunnel project was finished. In the warm humidity, after all that exertion, he was tired, but he wasn't finished. "I'm coming through!" he called out, as he crawled into the tunnel, and made his way carefully along, checking for any faults in his work, while he could fix them.

When he poked his head out the other side, he felt relief to see six pairs of eyes glinting in the light of the lantern they had brought with them. Three girls, three boys. Jessica was holding the lantern. Ian and another boy were on the ground, but they didn't appear to be badly injured. He saw several dark scrapes, but no one was dead. "Well let's get you out of here," he grinned at them.

"You really did that?" Jessica looked up at the tunnel. "Wow. That's awesome."

"Thanks." Urey tried not to look smug as he hurred over to the guys on the ground. "Who's hurt and how badly? Art's on the other side with a medical kit but we have to get you out."

"Ian's the worst," Jessica told him. "He hurt his ankle trying to climb through one of the collapse areas, and Terry's got a pretty nasty bruise from a rock to the ribs."

"We'll be fine," Ian replied, getting to his good foot and leaning against the wall. Urey noticed he wasn't putting weight on his ankle at all, and it was visibly swollen.

"We'll let Art judge that." Urey shrugged and offered his brother an arm. "Come on, wounded first."

"Funny," Ian replied, then winced and leaned a little more on Urey. It took a couple of minutes to work Ian up to the entrance. "I can crawl," he assured Urey, then vanished into the tunnel.

"Okay, who's next?"

In fairly short order, Urey helped the five remaining teenagers up to the tunnel, then came up last himself with the lantern. When he made it to the other side, everyone was waiting, and Reichart was examining Ian's ankle.

"It looks like a bad sprain," Reichart commented as Urey dropped to the ground. "Let's get out of here where we can treat you properly. I want to ice that before we bandage it."

"I've got him," George, who was bigger than the rest, stepped over and scooped Ian right up off the ground.

The thin Elric boy squawked in surprise. "Great! Now I look like an idiot."

"Or a brave but injured victim?" Jessica suggested, kissing him on the cheek.

Ian settled at once. "I can live with that."

Carefully but at a much faster pace, the ground hurried back towards the exit. They had already been gone half an hour, and they couldn't expect Grandpa Ed to hold it up forever.

They emerged from the pitch-dark of the tunnels into the near-dark of the thunderstorm, broken regularly by flashes of lightning, and the circle of flashlights and lanterns. Rain ponchos were tossed over them and there were hugs and back thumping and a flood of concerned parents. As soon as Reichart assured them that their children were all right, most of them melted into the dark, heading towards home with their kids.

The crowd began to break up.

"We're blocking those tunnels up for good," Urey heard one of the town council members grumble as he left. "They're nothing but a death trap."

For once, Urey didn't hear anyone voice an argument.

He jumped as someone clapped him on the shoulder. Urey looked up and saw Grandpa Ed tiredly smiling at him, his golden hair dripping in his face. "Great job, kid. I knew you could handle it."

"I… thanks, Grandpa." Urey felt flushed. "All I really did was transmute rock."

"What you _did_ was save the lives of six people," Grandpa corrected him. "It doesn't matter what you used it to do exactly, you came up with a transmutation that did the job that needed doing. It doesn't have to be flashy to be what's needed. Now come on. Let's go home before we all end up with nasty head colds."

Urey gave his grandfather an impulsive hug as he felt his own muscles start shaking from the strain; relief, and a bit of shock at the audacity of what they had done, and the danger he had put himself in without thinking about it. They could have all died in there if he had messed up. "Yeah, let's go."

* * *

><p>Since his house was closer, Edward suggested that they all go there first. It would get Ian tended to more quickly, and everyone out of the unseasonably chilly rain. Everyone who had been waiting outside in the cold or involved –by then everyone except Callie and little Edward, who had been left at the house with Gale and Deanna- tramped inside and water was put on for hot drinks.<p>

By the time Ed came back downstairs after a hot shower, dressed and dried and ready for a cup of coffee, most everyone was comfortably settled on the furniture, wrapped in blankets, drinking from steaming hot mugs. If Ed's own head was any indication, the few sniffles he heard around the room were, indeed, going to be unpleasant head colds for a few days.

Ian and Urey had a couch to themselves. Urey was wrapped up around a cup of hot chocolate, and Ian, also well swathed in a blanket, had his ankle propped up on a pillow, surrounded in an ice pack, with Cassie fussing over him.

"I'm all right, Mom!" Ian exclaimed, sounding exasperated, though from his smile Ed knew his grandson was enjoying the attention. "It's just a sprain. You even said I could walk on it before next week."

Which was good, Ed thought, as he remembered that Ian's play opened in a week. With a star covered in scrapes with a still-healing black eye and a sprained ankle. That saying about the show going on certainly took on a whole new meaning.

Cassie gave her son a glare, and Aldon intervened, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy, we were worried about you," he said, looking at Ian.

Ian looked contrite. "I'm sorry we worried everyone. How was I supposed to know those tunnels were going to cave in?"

"No way you could have," Ed cut in before Cassie could go off on the diatribe that seemed to be brewing. "Kids have been running around in there for generations without anything happening, even though it was bound to happen eventually."

He hadn't expected Cassie's upset face to turn on _him._ "How can you be so calm about this?" she asked, standing up and meeting Ed's eyes directly. "You sent three more of my sons in there! What if something had happened? They could have all died!"

"Cassie!" Aldon's hand tightened and he pulled her back a step. "Calm down. Nothing happened now, did it? Dad sent an alchemist, an engineer, and a medic into a potentially hazardous situation that was under some semblance of control. They're not fools, and they're not little kids."

Cassie looked like she wanted to object. Instead, she turned and buried her face in Aldon's chest.

"I'm sorry, Dad."

"It's fine," Ed replied with a rueful smile and a feeling of guilt. No, he hadn't really thought about that fact. He was used to ordering family members into dangerous situations, because he only sent people in who were trained and had their heads on straight. If he had thought they couldn't handle it, he wouldn't have sent them… he'd have gone in himself. But someone had to hold the entire structure up. His tired body reminded him that it had been a lot, and more than Urey could have handled. There were no other alchemists of his caliber in Resembool without family visiting. If this had happened tomorrow, for example, it would have been easier. Trisha and Roy would be getting off the train tomorrow for their summer training visit.

Aldon smiled gratefully and steered Cassie towards a chair. No one else said a word about the outbreak. Ed knew his grandsons were too smart to try.

"Coffee with cream and sugar." Winry stepped up next to him and held out a green mug.

Ed took it and kissed her cheek. "Thanks."

* * *

><p>Eventually it was decided that Urey and Ian would stay the night at their grandparents' house to recover and relax and would go home in the morning, and everyone else left. Too comfortable to be moved, Urey and Ian were left to their own devices on the couch, though assured that if they needed Granny Winry, all they had to do was ring the bell she left in arm's length on a table between them. Then she and Grandpa Ed went up to bed.<p>

For a minute or two, the room was quiet. The stairway light and the nightlight in the kitchen –to avoid crashing into things- were the only sources of illumination, and with all the excitement drained away, Urey just felt tired, and a little stuffed up. Great, just what he needed.

"Hey, Rey," Ian spoke into the silence.

"What is it, Ian?"

"Thanks, for today." Ian looked over at him, clearly embarrassed, but smiling. "You were awesome."

"I… really?" Urey couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten a real compliment from his brother.

"Well yeah," Ian rolled his eyes. "That was some wicked alchemy, and you were all calm and cool and you got us out of there. I didn't want to freak the others out, but I was really starting to think we might die in there." He shuddered. "When it happened, the lamp got knocked out. Terry managed to relight it, but it was so dark… and we shouted for so long we thought no one could hear us."

"Art's the one who heard you." Urey couldn't take credit for that.

"But you're the one who made a safe escape route." Ian sighed. "All I did was get myself hurt and prove we were stuck. It was stupid to be in there at all, especially in this weather."

"Yeah, it was," Urey agreed. "But Grandpa's right, it's not like you knew. I… I was scared," he admitted. "I thought you might already be dead and… I'm sorry too."

Ian looked startled. "For what?"

Urey pointed at Ian's still fading black eye. After everything they had gone through today, apologizing didn't seem like a big deal anymore. Not when he almost never had the chance to do it. "I shouldn't have hit you."

"So we're even then," Ian grinned. "You hit me, then you saved my life."

Urey snorted. "So you fail to set me up with a girl, then you nearly get yourself killed and I have to save you, and that makes us even?" It still didn't sound like it really came out even.

"Okay so…. What does that make us then?" Ian asked.

Urey thought about that for a moment. He shrugged. "Brothers."


	3. Chapter 3

**June 13****th****, 1971  
><strong>

Winry waited on the platform for the train to arrive. She didn't mind being there herself after yesterday's insanity. Ed, Urey, and Ian had all slept like rocks, and she hadn't had the heart to wake them. So they'd had a late, leisurely breakfast, and then she had come down to wait for the train bringing Trisha and Roy.

The sky was still overcast, but the rain had once more lifted into little more than a soft mist. The land below was lush and almost too-green from all the rain. It was beautiful, really. Winry loved Resembool when it was flush with greenery, even though it seemed to have a horrible tendency to threaten her family. Last night had been terrifying, partially because it had given her nightmares, old memories of when Sara had been small and almost drowned in the river, as well as her fears for her grandsons, and the strain Ed put on himself. He'd been tired after a transmutation that large. He hadn't done something like that in a while, and he just wasn't a young man anymore, however much he tended to ignore that fact.

He had sniffled and snored –something he only did when he had a cold- all night, and wakened last, though he had assured her that, other than sounding like he had cotton stuffed in his head, he was fine.

Winry had exacted a promise that he would take today easy, even with two more alchemy students arriving. Trisha and Roy could settle in, say hi to everyone, and hear yesterday's adventure.

The train whistle broke her reverie, and Winry stepped forward on the platform to look for it, her worries put aside at the excitement of a summer with her oldest granddaughter. Trisha reminded her so much of Sara when she was younger, but a Sara if the Xing War had never happened. She was less temperamental than her mother, more patient and relaxed. Winry hoped the world would let her stay that way.

The train came into view a few seconds later, and then pulled up, steaming to a stop. Winry looked up and down the line and waited. There weren't likely to be many people get off in Resembool, and she was right. A minute later Trisha and Roy, suitcases in hand, disembarked from the train, Trisha waving eagerly. "Granny!"

Moments later Winry was the recipient of an enthusiastic hug which she returned happily, while Roy grinned, looking slightly embarrassed behind her. "I'm so glad you're here," Winry smiled. "You look great."

"Thanks," Trisha smiled. "It's nice to be here."

"And off the train?" Winry asked knowingly.

Roy chuckled. "Exactly. Hello Mrs. Elric."

"Hello, Roy. So you chose Resembool over a summer in Aerugo after all." She smiled, letting him know she was teasing.

"Well I couldn't miss up a summer of alchemy," Roy replied.

"Oh was that all?" Winry glanced between him and Trisha as her granddaughter stepped back and grabbed her bag again.

"Of course, Granny," Trish smiled impishly.

Roy blushed. "Of course."

Winry chuckled. "Come on. Ed will be thrilled to see you."

"I'm surprised he isn't here," Trisha admitted as they left the platform and walked through the small station and out onto the dirt road.

"Well, we've had quite a bit of excitement around here the last couple of days."

**June 14****th****, 1971  
><strong>  
>The four young alchemists at the table were entirely absorbed in a variety of projects. Trish and Roy were focused on a very complicated, very technical preparation for a difficult transmutation requiring mixed materials that Edward had set them as a test. Urey, despite his head cold, refused to miss out on the Sunday afternoon lesson, and was working out his own series of alchemical equations, though he kept glancing curiously over at what Trisha and Roy were up to. Little Edward was practicing drawing basic transmutation circles.<p>

"You'd think we were a school."

Edward turned at the sound of Winry's chuckle. "What's wrong with that?" Despite his own lousy head-cold, he got a thrill of pleasure and pride watching his four alchemy students hard at work. They were all talented and motivated. "I think we've definitely got the best students."

"Oh, I can't argue that," Winry agreed, coming up beside him with a steaming cup of herbal tea. She held it out. "Drink."

Ed sighed and took the cup, drinking it down quickly. It was medicinal, of course, but at least she sweetened it with honey and a bit of lemon to hide the taste. It did seem to be helping, so he only griped when there was an audience. Right now, the kids were too focused to notice. "Thanks," he said as he gave her the mug back.

"No problem," Winry smiled. "Thank you for cooperating."

"I don't like being sick," Ed pointed out. He never had. Being stuck in bed always drove him crazy. At least Winry hadn't ordered him to take a nap yet this afternoon. Unlike the last couple of days, he wasn't that sleepy.

"I'm ready, Grandpa!" Little Edward called out excitedly.

Ed came over to the boy and looked down at the transmutation circle he had drawn. This one was definitely the best of the several on the table so far. The circle was properly round and the lines were straight. The pattern was correct too. "Good. All right. Let's give it a try shall we?" He pulled a broken pencil out of his pocket, one that was busted in two solid pieces and the lead at the end broken. "Put this pencil back together."

The older three at the table stopped working to watch.

Ed watched as his grandson frowned in deep concentration as he looked at the pencil lying on the transmutation circle. Then he took a deep breath and placed his hands on the edge of the circle.

The circle began to glow blue, and then pencil twitched, and bounced, and then the pieces started to move towards each other. Then, with a sudden flare, the pencil was whole again.

"All right!" Urey grinned.

"Nice job," Trisha cheered.

"Good going, Ted," Roy chuckled, ruffling Little Ed's hair.

Ed nodded his approval, but looked up at Roy. "Ted?"

"Sure," Roy shrugged. "Calling you both Ed or Edward is confusing, sir. Besides, it's better than calling him Little Ed or Eddie."

"I like it!" Ed's grandson grinned. He looked up at Ed. "Can I be Ted? It's cool."

Ed laughed. "That's up to your mother, kiddo. I expect she's still going to call you Edward, no matter what you do."

"Well you could call me Ted, right?"

"If you want. He's right. You're getting too big to be called 'little.'" Given how much Ed hated the word, he couldn't blame his namesake for hating it too. "Though it might take some getting used to."

"Ted" grinned. "So. Can I transmute something else?"

**June 19****th****, 1971 **

"This isn't fair! I can't go on stage like this," Ian wailed, staring hopelessly into the mirror in the upstairs bedroom the kids shared.

Winry winced in sympathy. The play opened in three hours and Ian's eye, while no longer swollen, was still lovely shades of purple and yellow. The cuts from the cave-in were _mostly_ gone, and his limp was only slightly noticeable, and his ankle wouldn't have been a problem if his part wasn't so active.

"Won't the stage makeup cover it?" Cassie asked her son.

"It's makeup, Mom, not magic," Ian groaned. "We tried yesterday. It still looks like I have a funky shadow on my face."

"I'm sure people will understand," Winry soothed.

"They'll have to," Ian sighed, looking resigned but heavily disappointed. "I can't back out now." Winry knew Ian had an understudy, but her grandson wasn't going to give up on his big performance. It was the best role he had gotten so far, or so he kept insisting. It was definitely the biggest, since he was one of the lead characters.

Ian came back out into the hall. "I guess I should get dressed."

Urey, standing in the doorway of the bedroom, looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Ian."

Ian flashed him a weak smile. "Hey, it's okay."

"Well," Ed commented from behind Winry as he pushed forward through the small crowd in the hall. "I think I've seen about enough."

That earned him several looks of confusion.

"What do you mean?" asked Aldon.

Ed grinned, but didn't explain as he stopped in front of Ian. "Let's just see if we can't do something about that eye."

Ian looked up at him, startled. "Can you… do something?"

"I'm not a doctor, but I can manage some minor healing," Ed shrugged casually. "And after all, it's just a black eye."

"That would be great!" Ian bounced on his heels. "What do I need to do?"

"Just hold still."

Winry watched Ed as he examined the eye for a moment, then clapped his hands and set them on either side of Ian's face. There was very little outward sign, except for a short flash of blue light that surrounded Ian's head for an instant and then was gone. When she blinked away the blue sparks dancing in her eyes from the flash, Winry could see what Ed had done.

"Nice work, Dad." Aldon was smiling.

The black eye was all but gone. The couple of remaining visible cuts were completely healed. Winry would bet the other ones were as well.

Ian blinked, then felt his face with his fingers as soon as Ed stood back. "It doesn't hurt!" He turned and ran back to the bathroom, but stopped up short and tested his foot. "Neither does my ankle! Owww... well, not so much." He walked the last couple of steps to stare in the mirror again. "That's amazing. Thanks, Grandpa!"

"I think you've both learned your lesson." Ed smiled, looking between Urey and Ian. "And we can't have you putting in less than your best performance, after all."

Ian came back out and threw his arms around Ed in an uncharacteristic display of childish joy. Normally, Ian tried to be more 'cool.' "You're the best!"

* * *

><p>It had been a while since Edward had been to a play. He enjoyed the occasional play or movie, but being into action, and having spent most of his life with unpredictable scheduling, he tended to hit a movie if he had time for either. The fact that they had put the new Regional theater in Resembool was still a bit of a novelty to him. It wasn't as big as the professional stages in Central or East City, but it was well appointed, with a proscenium stage and a full fly system and rigging. Ian had been babbling his head off about it ever since they built the place.<p>

He was rather impressed with the size of the crowd for the opening night of this play as well. Of course, he thought as he settled in next to Winry near the center of the fifth row, it was the only place to see live theatre in the area that wasn't a low-budget school production.

The Elric family, and friends, took up most of Rows three and four in the center. The Larsons were there too, and Ollie and Aldon were chatting quietly.

Beside him, Winry looked excited. "Won't this be fun, Ed?"

"Sure," Ed shrugged. He was looking forward to watching Ian. He had seen the school plays his grandson had done, but this was a much more talented cast. It ought to be easier to stay awake through.

"You don't sound convinced." Winry glanced over at him, silver earrings glinting in the light. She had dressed up a little for the occasion. Ed wondered if it was a hint he ought to plan a small vacation soon. Maybe they could go site-seeing in South City, or revisit East.

"It's got to be more entertaining than German opera," Ed replied with an impish grin.

Winry chuckled. "That's probably true."

Then the lights dimmed and the audience grew quiet.

Ed focused on the stage, and hoped Ian did well.

As it turned out, he needn't have worried. The play ran smoothly, so far as he could tell, from start to finish. It was a lively plot, about a mischievous boy on a series of adventures trying to find his father, gone missing after a war. Which war it didn't say. It had an unexpectedly serious plot, livened up by moments when Ian's character managed to cleverly nearly avoid disaster using his wits and a lot of luck. The supporting cast included several characters of dubious background, or morals, but at least half of them had good hearts.

The antagonists were the police, trying to catch him and return him to the orphanage from which he had escaped to go looking for his father, the doctors who wouldn't let him near his sick mother, and some enemy soldiers. It ended on a happy note, with the young man saving his father and reuniting the entire family.

When it was over, they received a standing ovation. Ed could see Ian's joy plain on his face as the cast came back out and took their bows. Cassie was beaming up at her son, clapping harder than anyone else.

When the audience started clearing out, Ed went around backstage with Aldon and Cassie to wait for Ian.

"What did you think?" Ian burbled as soon as he came out of the changing room, back in his street clothes. "Did you like it?"

"It was wonderful, honey," Cassie replied, giving him an enthusiastic hug.

"You make a great scamp," Aldon added.

"Gee, thanks." Ian took his mother's enthusiasm in stride and rolled his eyes at his father's comment. "What did you think, Grandpa?"

Ed had been thinking about his response for a bit. The play had hit several nerves he had thought long healed-over. "You were completely convincing."

Ian seemed to sense the gravity in that statement, because he looked a bit awed. "Thanks, Grandpa."

"Convincing indeed."

Ed glanced over his shoulder as a man he didn't recognize came towards them, in a good gray suit, smiling. He looked to be in his mid-forties, but definitely not a local.

"Excuse me for interruption," the man nodded apologetically to Ed, Cassie, and Aldon. "I am Bartholomew Tanner. I work for Central Vision Studios."

"The film company?" Ian's eyes went wide.

Mr. Tanner chuckled. "I see the young gentleman at least has heard of us."

"We know CV Studios." Ed turned to the man, now much more curious about his being in Resembool. They made full length features, but also several of the newer televisions series, and commercials. "You a talent scout or something?"

"Director, actually, Mr. Elric," Mr. Tanner offered his hand first to Ed, then to Aldon, and Cassie, and then to Ian, who shook it more conservatively than usual.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tanner," Ian said politely.

"The pleasure is mine, Ian," Mr. Tanner replied. "I admit, I stopped in mostly out of curiosity. I'd been hearing murmurs about local talents out here whenever I passed on business for some time. I'm glad I made the stop. Tell me, young man; are you interested in acting on screen? Or are you a stage man?"

"I'd love to be in film!" Ian blurted out, then blushed and straightened himself. "I mean, I'm interested in broadening my experiences, sir."

Mr. Tanner laughed, but in a friendly way. "That's what I like to hear." Then he turned his attention to Aldon and Cassie. "Mr. and Mrs. Elric. I am currently looking for young men and women for a short film we are doing that has to do with situations children may find themselves in and how to handle them safely. With your permission, I'd like to use Ian here."

Ed could see his son's surprise, and also almost immediate suspicion.

"How long would filming take?" Aldon asked. "And where?"

"At CV in Central," Mr. Tanner nodded, as if he explained this all the time. If he worked with young actors, he probably did. "We're filming in August, and planning to be done before the school year begins. It should only take a couple of weeks, and he would receive full professional wages while working with us."

"Please?" Ian looked up at his parents, eyes begging. "I could stay with Uncle Ethan or Aunt Sara."

Aldon and Cassie glanced at each other. Ed kept quiet. This was not his decision.

"You don't have to give me an answer right now," Mr. Tanner assured them, and pulled out a business card, which he held out to Aldon. "Just give the studio a call in the next couple of weeks. I'll leave your names with our Casting Director. If you want him to stay in the city with family, that's fabulous. I understand your concerns." He smiled. "I have three kids myself."

Aldon took the card, then nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Tanner. We'll discuss it."

"Then have a good evening." With that, Mr. Tanner turned and walked off.

"That's it?" Ian stared at them as if they were crazy. "I could be on television!"

"We'll discuss it," Aldon repeated, pocketing the card. "It does sound like a neat opportunity, but we'll look into it first, and need to talk with the rest of the family."

"Make sure it's a legitimate offer," Ed nodded, putting a hand on Ian's shoulder. "And then look into it and make sure the pay is worth you talent," he added, winking at Ian.

Ian calmed down a little and nodded. "Of course."

That seemed to relax Cassie and Aldon just a little. It really was a fabulous opportunity. Ed privately hoped that they'd let Ian go. With family to look after him, he would be fine.

**June 28****th****, 1971  
><strong>

"It's a good thing we hemmed these long," Cassie chuckled as she pulled a pin out of her mouth and stuck it in the hemline of Lily's dress. Her niece giggled and tried to hold still.

"The girls have both gotten taller," Lia smiled as she carefully added a rosette to the neckline of Callista's dress. "We haven't had to adjust them nearly as much as I expected though."

Both of the five-and-a-half year old Elric girls twitched and smiled. They were going to be flower girls in both weddings next month.

"Well they both look like total dolls," Aldon grinned, as he watched from the couch, where he and Ethan were lounging with tall glasses of iced tea. Eamon, who had gotten very bored during his fitting for his little suit, had already changed and gone upstairs to play with his cousins James and Edward, who were making kites with Franz. Cassie wasn't sure she'd get used to his insistence on being 'Ted' now. The baby, Aeddan, was passed out asleep on Ethan's chest.

Callista beamed. "Thank you, Daddy."

"Do you like it, Daddy?" Lily asked Ethan.

Ethan laughed. "It's beautiful, sweetie."

Cassie grinned at Lia. "We've got them well trained, don't we?"

"As much as can be expected," Lia agreed.

"Hey!" The brothers objected in unison.

Aeddan wriggled, then began to fuss.

Ethan set down his drink and tried to comfort the boy. "I think he's hungry."

"All right." Lia finished her stitch and then straightened up. Cassie watched her go and claim Aeddan, taking him over to the armchair in the corner and picking up a baby blanket for decency sake. "Come here you."

Cassie remembered those days fondly, though she was rather glad they were over too. Now that all the children were in school, or grown, she and Aldon had a little more time for themselves.

"Okay, we're done," she said as she finished the last pin in Lily's dress. "You two can go change back into your other clothes, and bring me these so we can finish the adjustments."

"Yay!" Lily stepped down off the little stool, followed by Callista. The two girls vanished upstairs.

Cassie straightened up and stretched her back. "Well that was relatively painless."

"They're still little girls," Lia smiled as she tucked Aeddan to her breast under the blanket. "Dress up is fun, but they're still kids. I'll worry more when they're old enough for boys to notice them."

"I might have to buy a rifle before that," Aldon chuckled.

"Oh I think the tools in your workshop could intimidate them enough," Ethan replied. "You've got a chainsaw right?"

"Well that's true."

Cassie shook her head. "Frankly I think the boys are more trouble than the girls. I'm glad you agreed to watch Ian," she said to Ethan and Lia. "Or I don't think I could let him go."

Ethan smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Cassie. We'll be taking him to and from the studio, and one of us will always be on set."

"That's why I'm letting him go," she smiled. Perhaps she was being overprotective, but sending her fourth son to Central without her, when he would be gone for almost a month, to do professional acting work… well it was a little intimidating, but she didn't want to hold him back from something he was good at and loved so much. Neither did Aldon. The offer had proved entirely genuine, and the pay respectable. It was, she reminded herself, far better and safer than what her father-in-law and his brother had done at that age. Ed had been a State Alchemist at twelve. Ian just wanted to be an actor.

Cassie shook off the worry that threatened to take over her thoughts. "Now, who needs a refill?"


	4. Chapter 4

**July 6****th****, 1971  
><strong>

The clouds overhead threatened rain, though so far Tore hadn't felt more than a few scattered drops as he walked hand-in-hand with Charisa down the country road. The fresh smell of wet summer grass filled his nostrils. Dare laughed as he darted ahead along the road.

They had left Breda breakfasting with Ed and Winry. Tore's pretext had been to show Charisa around Resembool since it was her first visit. He did intend to do that, but really he just wanted some time alone with his wife and son.

"It's so beautiful out here." Charisa's eyes gleamed with pleasure as she took in the simple loveliness of the Resembool countryside. Grass and trees and sheep, with the mountains as a backdrop; it really was a magnificent place. "I can see why everyone likes to visit. It's peaceful and relaxing."

Tore gave her fingers a little squeeze. "Now you know our secret," he teased lightly, admiring her profile as Charisa looked around. She was dressed far more casually than she ever did back home anymore; jeans on those long legs, a simple teal green t-shirt tucked in. Her full red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore sneakers. Simplicity itself; and somehow it just made her even more beautiful. It probably had something to do with the relaxed smile on her face.

Charisa turned her face back his direction. "What are you smiling at?"

"You."

Her cheeks took on a light blush. "What, I'm not allowed to relax?"

Tore paused, making her stop when she reached the end of her arm. Charisa paused and turned back to him as he pulled her close. "Of course you are. I just wish you'd get to more often." He kissed her, smiling as she didn't resist, returning it warmly. Briefly, Tore wondered what making love to Charisa in one of the nearby cornfields would be like.

"Daddy, Mommy, come on!" Dare called out from up the road.

The kiss ended reluctantly. "Later," Charisa promised.

Tore grinned and led the way as they started walking again.

"So where are we going?" Charisa asked curiously as Tore took a split in the road that went up and around a bend to the left.

"Deanna's parents own one of the only dairy farms in the area," Tore explained. "Reichart said we were welcome to come check it out."

"I wanna see cows!" Dare was standing just at the top of the hill, bouncing up and down energetically on the balls of his feet.

"You'll see cows," Tore laughed. "And I think he said they have a few other animals."

Dare whooped with excitement.

A couple of minutes later they came over the top of the hill, and the dairy farm was evident below. This late in the morning, the cows were already up at the shed and milking was well under way. Tore wouldn't be surprised if they were finished.

"I've never been close to a cow," Charisa admitted, not that it surprised Tore. He knew she hadn't ever been to a farm, and Central wasn't exactly full of cows.

"They're big, but pretty gentle," Tore replied. "You just have to know how to handle the animals." He looked around as they came close, and spotted Reichart leading a horse in from pasture. "Hey, Art!"

Reichart paused, then grinned and turned in their direction. "I see you made it." He shook Tore's hand, then offered one to Charisa, who he hadn't met before. "Nice to meet you. Tore talks about you a lot," he grinned, and winked.

Charisa smiled and shook his hand. "Thank you. I've been looking forward to visiting Resembool. Nice to see you, Art."

"So this is Deanna's folks place." Tore looked around and grinned at Reichart. "That why the medic and artist is playing groom?"

"Before I am one?" Reichart chuckled. "Yep. I like helping out around here. I usually do on the weekends. Dairy farmers don't get days off, so a little help goes a long way."

"When Art helps with the milking, Daddy gets to sleep in and have a second cup of morning coffee." Deanna appeared around the barn smiling, with a foal trotting along behind her on a lead rope. Tore noticed that here, she looked every inch the farm girl, right down to denim coveralls and blonde hair pulled back. "Daddy says he's more help than both of my brothers," she added with a smile at her fiancé.

Reichart kissed her cheek. "I have more motivation than your brothers."

Tore managed to stifle a laugh. He didn't have room to talk about mushy relationships. "Keeping on 'Dad's' good side?"

"Gotta keep everyone happy," Reichart agreed amiably. "Care to help out, Major?" He offered Tore the lead rope in his hands. "We're bringing the mares and foals in for their veterinary visit."

"That's Lieutenant Colonel now," Charisa cut in, grinning broadly.

Reichart paused, then grinned. "Well, congratulations Lieutenant Colonel. I hope that doesn't make you too important to help out a bit."

Tore shook his head, though he shot Charisa a dirty look. She just winked at him. He took the lead rope from Reichart and smiled. "Of course not. It just means I could use more excuses to get away from paperwork and responsibility." He looked to Deanna. "Where are we leading them?"

"Can I help?" Dara asked, wide-eyed and hopefully.

"Sure," Deanna smiled, letting him hold the end of the foal's rope, though she didn't let go. "We're going this way."

Tore was quite happy to lose a little time moving the mares and foals into the horse barn. There were only half a dozen mares, and each had a baby, so it didn't take too long.

When it was done, Tore gave the last mare he'd been leading, a calm little bay, a good rub on the nose. She nudged him back happily.

"You're really good with horses," Charisa said, sounding pleasantly surprised, as she came up beside him, and watched the foal in the stall drinking from his mother. Its little tail whisked back and forth with contentment.

Tore nodded, feeling an old odd twinge. "I spent some time working on a farm once." It had been a long time since he'd thought of them. Not since he had wondered during the war if they were safe. "I learned a lot of things."

Charisa laid a hand on his back. "So I see." She didn't ask when. She knew. "You know, someday, I'd like to hear more about that trip of yours."

"You would?" Tore looked at her, surprised. He had never really spoken of it, given how angry she had been with him for vanishing. It hadn't occurred to her she might want to know.

"I would," she smiled softly, nodding her head. "It's an important part of you, and I've been wondering. That is, if you're willing."

Tore slipped his free arm around her waist. "Of course I am, and I'm glad. It's quite an adventure."

**July 14****th****, 1971 **

Despite regular hope that the weather would break, the day of Reichart and Deanna's wedding dawned in the near-dark of rainclouds, and water falling in that long, steady manner that said it would definitely rain all day.

Everyone was up early, and gathered at Edward and Winry's, which was the only place that could manage a breakfast for the whole family now. It also had the most room for preparation of people. Not that they were in charge of everything, but there was still a lot to do, like decorations. Only now, it looked like the plan would have to change.

"It's too bad," Cassie sighed, looking out the window at the pouring rain.

"It's all right, Mom," Reichart assured her, smiling. "So we can't have the wedding outdoors. It's not the end of the world; it just means we need to be inventive in the planning. We'll have it in the spare barn."

"A barn?" Cassie looked at him as if he had just spoken a foreign language.

Ed had to fight to stay out of the way. His daughter-in-law was still a little miffed at him for the mine incident, and she'd been wound up as tight as he'd have expected the mother of the bride to be more than the groom about this wedding. Of course, she had two boys getting married in the next week, so he couldn't really blame her.

"It'll be great," Reichart nodded. "Don't worry. I already talked to Deanna and her parents said we can clean out the winter hay barn. It's empty right now so it just needs a good cleaning and we can move the decorations and the chairs and tables inside."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Cal spoke up. "They're going to need a lot of help."

* * *

><p>With the entire extended family to help, it didn't take more than an hour to scrub the empty hay barn spotless, remove the few farm items stored in it, and bring in plenty of extra lightning to brighten the place up. Cheerful lanterns hung on hooks on the walls.<p>

"We should do something about those lights," Coran suggested, pointing up at the long, cheap light bulbs that ran across the length of the roof. "They're kind of garish."

Ed looked up, and he had to agree. They weren't particularly pretty, but necessary to get enough light inside to keep the gloom outside at bay. The way the wind was blowing, all the windows were closed and barred. "Any ideas?"

"Well we can't turn them off," Reichart sighed. "And we can't wrap them in anything. They're too hot."

"Um, I have an idea."

Like the rest, Ed turned and looked at the speaker. James looked at them through his thick-rimmed glasses.

His skinny grandson looked at all of them expectantly. "Well do you want to hear it?"

Ed grinned. "Well of course we do." He was glad to hear James speak up. He often felt bad that he didn't see his grandson as much as many of the others. Trisha came to stay with him every summer and worked with him on her alchemy every chance they got. He saw the Resembool boys all the time now, and he and Winry lived with Ethan and Lia when they were in Central. James was very much his father's son; a brilliant little bookworm, but with no real interest in alchemy. He wasn't as rowdy as most of the others either.

James stepped forward. "What if we draped lengths of fabric across the ceiling?" He pointed up at the ceiling. "There's those two beams that run along the edge of the loft, but up at the ceiling. If we put fabric across there and attach it to the beams, it'll defuse the light but let most of it through, and it would hide the ugly light bulbs."

Winry looked up and smiled. "That would work. We can use a nail gun to make sure everything stays in place."

"I've got bins of fabric," Deanna's mother commented, smiling. "What a lovely idea, young man!"

James blushed, but smiled as everyone reacted enthusiastically. "You're welcome, ma'am."

Decorative work continued, with floral garlands being wound around posts and draped along lower beams. Before long, Deanna's mother was back with several lengths of fabric; mostly white, but also a pale green. "I thought we could alternate it in occasionally for stripes," she smiled. It was almost exactly the color Deanna had chosen for her bride's maids.

"Let's get to work then," Winry replied, returning with her tools. "Come on, James. This is your idea, now you get to put it into action."

"Really? Great!" James ran over to Winry and the others and followed them nimbly up the ladders.

Ed watched him go, then glanced at Franz. "He should put himself forward more often. He's a great kid."

"Don't I know it," Franz smiled, watching his son scrambling up in the rafters. "But he's just not the loud or pushy type. Never has been really. He's more interested in having his ideas heard than getting attention for them. Or at least, he usually is." He chuckled. "I think he feels like trying to top anyone in the family would be a waste of time, so he's just himself."

"That's a good thing," Ed assured his son-in-law. "In fact, that's probably the best thing he can do. As long as he's happy."

"He is," Franz assured him with a knowing expression. "Don't worry. He's quite happy just being the smartest kid in school right now. Though, maybe I should be keeping a closer eye on him. He's getting bolder."

"He sure is," Ed grinned. "As much as he reminds me of you, every once in a while he does something that reminds me of Sara."

Franz chuckled. "Like this?"

"Yep."

* * *

><p>"You know, we never went through all of this with you." Ed grinned at his son as he stood beside Aldon, waiting for the ceremony to start. It wouldn't be long now.<p>

"Is that still a complaint or a relief?" Aldon asked, turning to him with a bemused grin.

"Maybe a bit of both," Ed admitted. He'd had to use alchemy to make sure his suit was completely dry by the time he got to the barn, even though he had used the same alchemy to erect a temporary walkway from the house all the way to the barn so guests and –more importantly- the bride, wouldn't get soaked. "That was a rather different circumstance though."

"Thank goodness," Aldon chuckled, then his expression returned to the more thoughtful one he'd had a minute before. "Though I think maybe I get how you felt. I got a taste of it a few years ago." He didn't have to mention the teen-angst they'd gone through with Coran for Ed to remember. "But yeah…I think I'd be hurt if Art and Deanna had decided to just run off and get married without telling us, without letting us be here."

"Well, fortunately for you, instead we're standing in a barn during the rainiest summer in Resembool history." Ed had to admit, it hardly looked like a barn anymore with the decorations up, the chairs set up and the small chapel area erected at one end, and tables for dining at the other and to the sides of the door. Guests were coming in now, filling the rows of chairs. "Have you already given Art your critical fatherly advice?" he teased.

Aldon shrugged. "We talked this morning. We've talked for eighteen years. He picked a great girl on his own, loves what he's doing, and he's managed to get enough together to build that house on the hill next to ours. Frankly, sometimes I wonder if I should be asking him for advice." Aldon smiled. "He'll do just fine."

* * *

><p>"Don't tell me you're nervous?" Coran asked Reichart incredulously<p>

"And you won't be next week?" Reichart gave his brother a withering look as he straightened his tie for the fifteenth time and tried to relax. It wasn't a highly formal wedding, but he was still wearing a good suit, and he had to admit it felt a little odd. He rarely dressed up to work anywhere; the clinic wasn't formal, neither was the farm, and when he was working on his art he wore old things he didn't mind getting splattered. This required a level of grooming even one above wearing a suit to other people's weddings. Not that he'd been to many recently. He and Deanna were the first ones from their year to propose, let alone get married right off. He'd been a lot younger when Uncle Ethan got married.

"That's next week," Coran smiled. "But why the nerves now? You were fine this morning."

"We were busy this morning." Now there was nothing left to think about, except that this was it. Everything he and Deanna had talked about for the last couple of years was happening. Soon enough, it would be done, and they'd be married, and independent, and it was a little overwhelming when he was standing right there on the doorstep, so to speak.

"So think about something other than what's about to happen," Coran suggested. "Think beyond it, to tonight," he added.

Because thinking about _that_ was really going to make him relax. Though the last thing he would ever admit to his older brother was any kind of performance anxiety. So he rolled his eyes and snickered. "Is that all you can think about?"

"No, but maybe you should be," Coran teased. "I bet you Deanna has."

"I'm not taking that bet." Mostly because Reichart didn't intend to ask her, and also because Reichart figured his brother was probably right. He turned the question back on Coran instead. "What about Gale? Does she know about, you know?"

Coran sobered, but nodded. "Yeah, she knows. I didn't give her details or anything, but it wouldn't have been right for her not to know."

"How'd she take it?" Reichart asked, smiling reassuringly. "Not too bad I take it, since you're still getting married."

"Better than I feared." Coran straightened his tie in the mirror. "Then she told me she'd expect more."

Reichart, being a good brother, managed not to laugh.

* * *

><p>It was rare that Alyse was merely a guest at a wedding instead of the coordinator these days. Of course, she had still gotten to help out with this one, if more by chance and volunteering than any plan. She had enjoyed helping with the set-up earlier, and she had to admit that it was amazing how appropriate and lovely the barn had turned out to be; a lovely combination of classy and rustic. It was an idea she might just have to remember to suggest to anyone in Central looking to do something 'different.'<p>

Alyse sat in the audience, with Gloria on her lap. Cal sat beside her, holding Charlie and admiring the room. "Was that fabric always like that?" he asked, nodding towards the swathes that hid the lighting above and diffused it. "It's fancier than I remember."

Alyse didn't have to look up to know Cal meant the subtle swirled patterns white-on-white and green-on-green that now showed on the fabric. She grinned playfully at her husband. "Not until I got a hold of it," she admitted softly so as not to be heard over the music. "Deanna's mother was lamenting how plain it was so I… fixed it."

Cal blinked, then nodded in understanding and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "You're one of the most inventive alchemists I know," he grinned.

"It's necessary for the job," Alyse smiled, though she felt a little pride in her work at his compliment. "Creativity and subtlety… and good taste."

"Maybe I should give it a go," Cal suggested.

"You lack the necessary qualifications, dear," Alyse teased him.

"Oh? How so?" Cal looked mildly offended, but Alyse didn't buy it.

"You're anything but subtle."

* * *

><p>Someday, Edward wasn't going to have to pretend he wasn't teary-eyed at weddings. Not that he would ever admit it; he'd just find a way to stop feeling misty and sentimental. Maybe. He watched as Reichart waited nervously for his bride, and the music began, and Deanna was escorted into the barn, looking lovely and fresh and –thankfully- spotlessly clean despite the weather outside.<p>

Reichart's face lit up as he watched his bride come down the aisle, and her father let her go, and they took hands. Ed didn't pay much attention to what the Officiant said, but he listened carefully as Reichart and Deanna said their vows, pledging their love and lives to each other as a supportive and loving team. They were sweet, heartfelt words; simple and honest, just like the two people being joined.

Then it was done. They exchanged rings, and kissed, and came back down the aisle to the half of the barn where the reception was set up. From there, it was all celebration. Ed would take his turn at hugging the happy couple later, choosing not to stand in the long line of well-wishers just yet. He took a cup of punch and stood off to one side.

Soon enough Aldon, who had been one of the first in line, joined him, looking quite content himself.

Ed grinned at his son as they clinked glasses. "So, I won."

Aldon blinked then laughed. "You did," he nodded, acknowledging their bet. Reichart had gotten married before Coran. "So, what do I owe you?"

This was something Ed had thought about long and hard. "I've wanted to add a Xingese mediation house to the formal garden," he admitted. His Xingese garden in back of the house was a favorite spot, but it had been missing a building. The Xingese version was almost a gazebo, open but covered to sit in nature in any weather, and with the option of putting up paper-screened walls to enclose it for special occasions or privacy. "Think you can build me one?"

Aldon looked thoughtful for a moment. "Sure. I'll need to look at some existing designs probably, but as long as I can come up with a proper blueprint, it shouldn't be too hard. I'll talk to Ren about getting some designs to look at."

"Great! So," Ed eyed his son slyly. "You want to bet on which one of the boys will make you a grandpa first?"

Aldon almost choked on his drink. "I'd really rather not think about that yet."

Ed grinned. "Last I checked, you don't have much say in the issue."


	5. Chapter 5

**July 17****th****, 1971**

"You'd never know it was cool three days ago," Ed sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow with his forearm as he watered the bamboo in the Xingese garden. The storms had moved out, leaving Resembool much more summer-like. Unfortunately that meant hot and muggy.

Watering the ornamental flowers closer to the back stairs, Winry glanced over at him with a nod of her wide-brimmed straw shade hat. "At least it's not supposed to rain again for a couple of weeks. We won't have to try and move Coran's wedding indoors too."

"That's a relief," Alyse chuckled from her knees as she pulled a stray weed out of a flower bed.

Ed glanced around the garden as he paused to pick up a glass of ice water. Coran and Gale had asked to have their ceremony in the ornamental garden, and Ed had been very happy to let them. It was in full flower and required little maintenance to get it ready, though that was still a few hours of very careful gardening. "This is really looking good."

"You couldn't find a better one even in Xing," Ren agreed. "I'm really impressed, Ed."

"He actually researched something other than alchemy," Al laughed as he dropped fish food into the little koi pond.

"Well it would have been useless to do it wrong," Ed pointed out. He had wanted to create a garden, however small, just like the ones that had been such a relief and a wonder to him in Xing. It had not just the look, but the feeling. That was part of why he wanted the meditation house too, though it would not be built until after the wedding, in the clear open space they were going to use in a few more days for the ceremony.

"It gave him something to do with his retirement," Winry chuckled as she stood up and joined him, still holding the other hose, though the sprayer on the end wasn't on. "I couldn't just let him sit around getting lazy could I?"

"You make it sound like it was your idea," Ed snorted.

"Wasn't it?" She eyed him playfully, almost daringly.

Ed couldn't resist the challenge. "About as much as this is," he grinned, and turned his hose on her.

With a squeal, Winry tossed up her hands, then brought up the hose and sprayed him back. The shock of cold water was an open declaration of war!

* * *

><p>"Is that allowed?" Coran commented as he watched his grandparents chasing each other around the garden with the hoses, laughing and teasing.<p>

"Sure it is," Aunt Sara replied coming up beside him. Most of the smarter family members had just gotten out of the way and were enjoying the show. "Since when is there an age limit on fun?"

"I don't know," Coran shrugged. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, huh? It's not like anyone in our family is dignified. I guess everyone likes to be silly."

"Definitely," Uncle Ethan joined them, grinning broadly. "It would be like putting an age limit on sex."

Coran's mouth was halfway open before he jammed it shut. He didn't want to think about what his grandparents, or great aunt and uncle, or anyone else that age, did behind closed doors. Instead, he changed the subject. "Speaking of, I wonder if Art and Deanna are enjoying their hotel."

"You think they haven't done any sight-seeing in East City?" Ethan asked with a mischievous expression.

"Well I don't," Tore chuckled. "At least, not much."

"Exactly," Coran nodded, grateful for the back-up. "As long as he and Deanna waited? I would be surprised if they've looked at anything other than each other."

"Well we'll find out in a couple of days," Sara cut off the discussion. "If you care that much, you can find out then. Why don't we get back to work?"

"Are the waterworks done?" Ethan asked.

Coran glanced back at his grandparents, who were both now sopping wet, but laughing as they went to put up both hoses. The yard was thoroughly watered. "Looks like a truce, for now."

**July 18****th****, 1971**

"I don't know how you managed this, but I could definitely get used to it," Charisa chuckled as she lounged, in nothing but a luxurious bathrobe, on the bed of little hotel suite she and Tore had claimed for the weekend in Resembool.

Tore stepped out of the bathroom, fresh from their shared bath and wrapped in a towel, and grinned at his lovely wife. He liked how the robe threatened to slip from her bare shoulders, and the damp red curls that clung temptingly to her neck. He hadn't arranged for this because they had no place to stay, but just for the night… so they could have a little time together without the entire extended family around where they could interrupt, or her. "Oh it wasn't hard to convince Winry to watch Dare," he assured her as he settled down on the bed next to her and reached for the two glasses of the light white wine on the bedside table. He offered one to Charisa. "I thought we deserved a little us time."

She took the glass and rested her head on his shoulder. "You won't hear me arguing. I mean, I love Dare… and my father…"

"But sometimes it's nice to be without the kids?" Tore suggested knowingly. "I know just how you feel. I used to feel guilty about leaving Dare with people and taking a little time for myself. But I found out all parents feel that way, and it was okay. For us, we have especially good reason." He kissed her cheek before sipping his wine, feeling no guilt at all for wanting to spend time with Charisa. They hadn't been married that long, and living with the General was pleasant enough, but they didn't get a lot of time to just be by themselves, like most newlywed couples.

It was also difficult to fully enjoy sex with his father-in-law and his son in the same house.

"Don't tell Daddy you called him a kid." Charisa sipped from her glass. "But yes. I love how Dare calls me Mommy, but it's nice to spend quality time alone with _you_."

"Quality time, that what you call it?" Tore asked playfully. The shower had been preceded by a light dinner and a very enjoyable –and invigorating- evening of intimacy.

"Yes, I do," Charisa replied, more seriously than he had expected. "With… my last marriage, we spent very little time working on "us." There was work, or meetings, and business travel, and dinners. It was never… sweet, like this. It lacked a tenderness I didn't realize was missing until it was too late."

"Do you have enough of it now?" Tore asked, putting his arm around her shoulders. He had thought them close before, when he'd begged her to marry him, but the last couple of months had delved into depths of emotional intimacy he had craved but barely been able to imagine before. He was still learning things about Charisa that he hadn't known; things she had never told anyone.

Her free hand came up to rest on his, and she smiled at him. "Yes, I do, and I appreciate it… and you."

"It's nice to be appreciated." Tore squeezed her shoulder. "You'll tell me if you're ever unhappy right?"

Charisa's expression turned amused. "Have I ever hesitated to tell you when I was unhappy with you, Tore?"

"Well, no." Tore found himself chuckling. "I guess that's a silly question isn't it? Just, promise you'll stay vocal about it all right? I never want to hurt you if I can avoid it."

"Oh I assure you, I'll be vocal." Charisa tilted her head and kissed him soundly.

Tore was grateful that statement didn't apply to their love making, or he'd have had to answer some very awkward questions from his son by now.

**July 19****th****, 1971**

"Well you took long enough," Coran chuckled as Reichart entered the upstairs workroom of their parents' house. He could hear chatter downstairs that sounded like his mother, Gale, and Deanna talking along with a couple of other girls. "I was beginning to think you might miss the wedding."

"Deanna would never let me," Reichart assured him with a chuckle as he closed the door behind him, muffling the sounds. "Look like everything's almost ready for tomorrow from the arts and crafts attack downstairs." The pile of handmade decorations waiting to go up in Grandpa Ed's garden was settled carefully in boxes all over the living room.

"Yep," Coran nodded. That was why he was hiding up here, where it was quiet. He'd had about all he could take of planning. He wanted Gale. The wedding was all that stood between him and the rest of his life with the woman he loved. When it was done, they could go to Central, and Rockbell Auto-mail, and start life in that lovely little apartment just waiting for the two of them.

Reichart dropped down in the other chair. "Nervous?"

Coran snickered at the question, given how recently he had teased his brother about the same thing. "Maybe."

"Oh, please."

Coran's expression turned sly. "So, did you enjoy East City?"

It felt good to catch the subtle reddening of his younger brother's ears as Reichart shrugged as casually as possible. "What I saw of it."

"Was any of that outside the hotel?"

Reichart rolled his eyes, though his grin broke through the embarrassment. "Eventually." Then he shrugged, making it clear Coran wasn't going to get any personal details out of his brother. Not that he really wanted to pry that much anyway. "So, is there a party tonight or what?"

"There is," Coran nodded. "Rake insisted on being in on the planning. I'm not sure that bodes well for my ability to walk home tonight." Rake and Patty had arrived from Resembool that morning.

Reichart leaned back in his chair. "Don't worry, brother. I'll carry you home. Do we need to come in the back way so Gale doesn't see?"

Coran shook his head. "No. The girls will all be up at Grandpa's tonight."

"Is Grandpa coming to hang out with the guys?"

"I don't think so."

Reichart chuckled. "Man, I feel sorry for him."

"I feel sorrier for you," Coran admitted.

Reichart looked confused. "Me, why?"

"Because while you're keeping me out of trouble, you're not spending tonight with your wife."

"Oh, well then I guess I'll have to let you wander yourself home. Sorry."

"Art!"

"I'm kidding," Reichart snickered. "I wouldn't miss tonight for the world."

* * *

><p>"You're not coming down?" Winry asked Edward with a look of amusement as she leaned on the doorway to his little study.<p>

Sitting in front of his typewriter, Ed shook his head. "No, that's all right. I'll be good right up here with my book, my coffee, and my sanity." There was no way he was going to suffer through the babble of girl-talk going on in his living room tonight. He didn't begrudge letting Gale stay with them, or the friends that had come for the wedding, but the evening had been full of all the girls in the family running around with decorations and food planning, and then the older generations politely vacating so that Gale, Deanna, and the other girls that age could have their evening of fun. It was an interesting mix, the girls from Resembool and the girls from Rush Valley, but they seemed to be getting along. "You could join me," Ed offered, smiling over his shoulder at his wife.

"When you're writing?" Winry smiled and shook her head. "No. You enjoy being off in another world for a while. I'll see you when you get back."

A subtle jibe, that. "Well it's not like I can drag you back to the bedroom with all those girls downstairs, can I?"

"Let's not scandalize them." Winry agreed.

"So what are you planning to do this evening?" Ed asked. He knew Winry wasn't taking part in the girlish chatter.

"Oh, I thought I'd take a long hot bath, then curl up on the bed and wait for you to get bored with your book. I have a new auto-mail tool catalog to keep me company."

"Okay," Ed laughed, turning his chair around. "I get the message."

"Good. See you then." Winry blew him a kiss from the doorway and vanished.

Ed stood up. He had learned long ago how to tell when Winry wanted to spend time with him. She wasn't subtle about it after all, but he'd gotten less dense. The book could wait until quality time was over.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe there's not a single stripper in this town!"<p>

Coran looked over at Rake and laughed. "I told you Resembool was remote."

Rake gave him a withering look. "Too remote for strippers? That's criminal."

"Don't let Patty hear you say that," Coran slapped his friend on the shoulder as he picked up his next dart with his other hand and eyed the board, carefully taking aim. He was enjoying his last night as a bachelor so far; pool and darts in the local pub was a far cry better than the wild evening Rake had apparently envisioned. It still consisted of a dozen of Coran's friends and male relatives of-age to party having a good time.

Rake shrugged, but he looked uncomfortable. "She'd be okay with it."

"Somehow I doubt that." Coran let his dart fly, and it hit about a half-inch from the center. "I thought you two were engaged?"

"Technically," Rake leaned back, sipping his beer. "I mean, yeah, I asked her and she said yes."

"Then what's wrong?" They had arrived together, and Patty had been quite happy to babble at Gale about the proposal, but clearly everything wasn't 'right' if Rake was this dour about it. "Her uncle giving you grief?"

"No, it's not that. He and her Dad were… surprisingly cool about it," Rake admitted. "Other than a few half-joking threats."

"She's not pregnant is she?"

"No!" Rake almost dropped his next dart. "That's not it."

"Then what _is_ it?" Coran was getting frustrated. "You're not having second thoughts?" Rake and Patty had been a couple for as long as he'd known them.

Rake's dart missed the middle by two rings. He took another drink. "What if this is a mistake?" he asked. "What if it changes things?"

"Well of course it'll change things." Coran sighed, facing his friend. "But how is that bad? No more sneaking around to see each other? It's all out in the open. The two of you can be together as much as you want. You love her don't you?"

His friend's face started to go red, though whether it was irritation or embarrassment Coran couldn't have said.

"What if I don't?"

Coran almost dropped his beer. "What do you mean, Rake?"

"What I said," Rake replied sharply. "What if that was what it was all about? The risk, the excitement? All that sneaking around was fun. I'm afraid… what if that was what I liked most?"

Coran refrained from asking if Rake was kidding. Clearly his friend wasn't. He was honestly afraid that his feelings were as tied into the danger and excitement of the uncertainty as much as any real affection. He sighed. "Could you let her go?" he asked simply. "Could you let someone else have her?"

Rake glared at him. "I'd castrate any guy who got near her."

Coran felt a bit of the knot of concern release in his chest. "Then don't break her heart. She loves you, and if you feel that strongly about it, don't let her go. Sure, it's going to change things. But doesn't that mean you'll just need to find new and exciting things to do together?"

"Like what?" Rake asked curiously.

"Oh, I don't know." Coran picked up his dart again and looked at the board. "Cliff diving? Having sex on a raft in the middle of rapids? You'll come up with something."

"You're right." Rake seemed to relax. He smiled. "We're inventive. I'm sure we'll come up with plenty of things to keep ourselves from getting bored."

Coran's dart hit the center. "Somehow, I really don't think that's something you have to worry about."

**July 20, 1971**

"Ready to do this again?" Aldon asked Cassie as they dressed in the privacy of their room. Two weddings in a week; two sons grown and likely to start families of their own in the near future. With four children left in the house, it was hardly empty, but he was still starting to feel, well, older than he probably had a right to feel. He supposed it was just desserts for starting young himself. He was only forty after all… for another couple of months.

"I think I've managed to dry out all last week's tears of joy, if that's what you mean," Cassie chuckled as she smoothed the lavender silk of her dress over her hips. "And I have an extra handkerchief this time."

"Good, I may borrow it… surreptitiously." Aldon chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were the bride."

"Is that so?" Cassie grinned at their reflection in the mirror before glancing up at Aldon's face. "Are you saying I still look sylph-like and delicate…or that I look pregnant?"

Aldon nearly swallowed his tongue trying not to laugh. "Vibrantly beautiful," he said in recovery. "And far too young looking to be the mother of the groom."

"Lucky me." Cassie's face flushed with pleasure as she kissed his lips. "I'll be much older before I'm the mother of the bride."

* * *

><p>Ed didn't recognize the man who paused in the doorway of the room where Coran was doing last minute adjustments to his suit. He wore a slightly rumpled, but good suit, and had long red-brown hair streaked with gray pulled back in a low ponytail. Apparently his grandson recognized him though, because he actually smiled and offered his hand for a shake. "Mr. Lockwood, it's good to see you."<p>

_Ah, so that's Gale's father. _He should have guessed from the artsy stained-glass tie whose blues and greens somehow matched the medium brown suit. That and the camera hanging around his neck.

"Good to see you, Coran," Lockwood replied, grinning as they shook hands. "And please, it's just Dale remember?"

"Right," Coran chuckled. "I'm glad you made it. I take it the mural in West City went well."

"I'm reasonably happy with it," Lockwood nodded. "It certainly paid better than my last one. Ought to at that size. Definitely made enough to make this a memorable event," he added with a wink.

"Thank you, Dale," Coran replied. "Have you seen Gale yet?"

"Just did," Lockwood grinned, then grimaced. "Left her and her mother to the usual final preparations though."

Ed stepped out, leaving Coran and his about to be father-in-law to their conversation. It wasn't any of his business after all. Instead, he went to find Winry. It was time to make sure to get good seats in their own garden!

* * *

><p>"You're sure about this?"<p>

Gale gritted her teeth and managed not to slug her mother in the face as she adjusted her hairpiece. "Yes, mother. I've never been so sure about anything in my whole life… except my decision to become an auto-mail engineer." Simple truth. She didn't turn around. She didn't have to since she could see her mother in the mirror. Patty, who was her maid of honor, had stepped out on a quick last minute errand for pins, leaving Gale alone with her mother. As much as she loved her mother, the stress of seeing her only daughter married apparently made the woman even more particular and prickly than usual.

Her mother looked as if she regretted the question, but didn't apologize. "I'm glad. I… I just don't want you to regret it. Not that I think you shouldn't get married," she added hurriedly before Gale could get angry with her. "I just hope it turns out better for you than it did for me."

Gale took a deep breath, then turned around. "I know, Mom, and I know nobody can know for absolutely certain that things will worth out smoothly, but you've met Coran. It's more than just love. We're a very even match, and we have a lot in common. We make a good team."

"This is true," her mother smiled and raised one hand to Gale's cheek, as she had when she was just a girl. For once, Gale tolerated it. "He's a very nice boy, and I certainly can't complain about his family," she added. "I wish you both the best, and I think you're a beautiful bride. That dress is exquisite."

Given it was the first time her mother had ever complimented Gale on her choice of fashion, she almost lost her jaw. It was a very simple dress; a Xingese style sheath to match the theme of the wedding location, but all in white with pale gold and lavender accents edging. Her long russet hair was up in a twist, keeping the curls up mostly on her head, under the short veil that fell just past her shoulders. Gale pulled her mother into a tight hug, a rare, affectionate hug between mother and daughter. "Thanks, Mom. I love you."

* * *

><p>Coran was ever more grateful that the wedding was taking place in his grandparents' decorative garden. It was a familiar place, and full of friendly faces it was friendly and inviting, despite the fact that he was the center of attention as he stood there, waiting for his bride. He would have been more comfortable in his cover-alls than a suit, or stained in oil than scrubbed cleaner than any man ever ought to be. He'd never seen Gale in anything elaborate, despite the fact she always dressed well outside of work.<p>

The music that began to play was simple; a duet of violin and Xingese flute, a sweet not-quite-haunting melody. Attention turned to the steps to the porch of the house, as Gale and her father appeared there, framed by the porch and the flowers of the garden.

Coran's mouth went dry; a combination of not only nerves but pride at the beauty moving towards him. Gale had always been beautiful, in a solidly real sense, but she seemed slightly ethereal in that dress. Too beautiful to be touched; too good for anyone. For a moment, he almost panicked.

Dale winked at them both as he handed Gale over to Coran, and her hands slipped into his.

Gale smiled up at him through the veil. "Ready, partner?" she asked softly.

Coran relaxed and smiled back. "Now and forever."

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Oct 24, 2011. Finis! *sniffle* Okay, that's enough weddings for one year. New adventure, getting back to plot line with more drama and action and utter disaster starting next week!<em>


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